The Bet
by alindy
Summary: Harry and Hermione get in a little fight, and a bet that both of them are regretting comes out of it. Who will tell the one they love that they love them first?   .:.   LL/HP   HG/GW


**OCTOBER CHALLENGE**

**Prompt:_Bonfire_**

**Pairing: Hermione/ Any Weasley**

**Harry/Luna**

**Quote: _"Is that the best you can do?"_**

**Theme: Halloween.**

**My entry for the twin exchange October Challenge! I hope you enjoy!**

**-alindy**

* * *

_Pick-up, place on shelf, make sure label faces front, repeat._

Hermione loved her job, but this was definitely the most boring part of it: reloading the shelves. It almost made her rethink her work position at Weasley Wizard Wheezes, but she loved every other aspect about it too much for her to ever truly consider it.

The bell over the door rang and then Hermione heard a familiar voice shout, "Hermione, I have pizza!"

Hermione jumped up and ran towards the sound of his voice and gave him a running hug.

"I love you so much right now Harry," Hermione smiled as she took the pizza from him and sat down on the counter with him soon joining her.

"I thought you were supposed to always love me," Harry joked.

"I do, I just love you an extra amount when you bring me delicious pizza," she said enthusiastically.

"So how's work today?" Harry asked nonchalantly.

"Fine, pretty slow."

"Where's everyone?"

"Well, Fred and Verity are in the back 'creating new products'," Hermione said, suggesting that she thought they weren't doing anything close to that.

"You think they're snogging?" Harry questioned as he picked up a piece of pizza.

"Most likely, yes, since I haven't heard an explosion in a half hour or so, which means that they are most definitely not trying to create that new love potion," Hermione confirmed.

"Where's George?" Harry queried.

"Has the day off, probably up in the flat," Hermione nonchalantly replied as she picked up another piece of pizza.

"Have you told him yet?" Harry asked as he stared at her seriously.

"Told him what?" Hermione replied even though she knew full well what he meant.

"The fact that you're completely in love with him and you want to jump him every time he enters a room and take hi-" Harry started loudly.

"Harry! Stop that!" Hermione looked around wildly.

"So now that we have that defined, have you told him?" Harry said.

"I don't know, have you told Luna?" Hermione shot back.

"That is completely besides the point," Harry blushed.

"I don't really see how," Hermione stated.

"You love George," Harry spoke.

"I never said I love George," Hermione whispered fiercely.

"You didn't have to, you totally do," Harry laughed.

"Ok, whatever, I do. You love Luna though," Hermione pointed out.

"What are you talking about?" Harry choked out.

"You know. Why haven't you told her?"

"I just haven't found the right time," he mumbled.

"You see the girl nearly every day, I think you could find the time," Hermione pointed out.

"Same goes for you and George, doesn't it?"

"Shut up," Hermione responded.

"I don't think you have the guts to tell him," Harry said angrily.

"Me? What about you? You don't have the balls to. You see her every day and you just cover it up like a freaking wimp! I never thought that the famous Harry Potter wouldn't have a pair!" Hermione yelled back.

"I bet that I could tell her before you could tell him!" Harry launched back.

"I doubt it!"

"Oh yea? Deadline is the Weasley's Halloween bonfire, we have to tell them by then and whoever does it last has to do the usual," Harry yelled.

"Fine! I can't wait to make you use some new pick up lines on Ron and finally clean your damn room!" Hermione belted.

"I won't have to because I'll totally win!" Harry responded.

"Doubt it!" Hermione replied.

"I'll see you tomorrow night!" Harry told her over his shoulder as he walked towards the door.

"Yea!" Hermione yelled, "Oh! And Harry? Don't forget to preheat the oven before I come back to the flat tonight, ok? I'm making crazy potatoes."

"Really? Ok, I'll remember," Harry spoke excitedly before he remembered they were supposed to be fighting. "And I still think that I'll tell her before you tell him! I can't wait to see you admit that I'm smarter than you and have to help Mrs. Weasley cook!"

"It won't happen!" she belted as he exited the door.

Hermione took a deep breath before a single word crossed her mind.

_Shit._

She didn't know how this didn't cross her mind during the argument. She actually had to tell him now, and before tomorrow night or she lost the bet, and she really didn't want to face the consequences of losing.

Not only would she have to say that Harry was smarter than her, but she'd also have to help Mrs. Weasley cook. It's not that she didn't love Mrs. Weasley, because she did, but whenever you tried to help her cook it usually ended up with someone crying.

Sometimes it would be Hermione, sometimes Mrs. Weasley, and sometimes a random bystander. No one was really sure how it happened, but every time someone tried to really help her cook it ended up in a huge mess.

Hermione slumped down so that she was laying across the counter now and positioned herself so that the pizza box didn't fall off the counter. She heard someone running down the stairs loudly, and when someone tripped down the stairs, a swear or few. Hermione knew who it was before they reached her, but she couldn't help hoping that it wasn't him.

She heard him stop when he presumably saw her lying on the counter.

"Hermione? What happened?" he asked cautiously.

"How do you know that anything happened?" she whined.

"Because 1. You're lying on the counter with a pizza box as a pillow, and 2. I heard you scream, 'You don't have the balls!' at Harry," George replied.

"Ok, so maybe we did have a fight, but it was a really stupid one," she said as she opened her eyes and looked at him standing in front of her.

"So you're fine?" George asked.

"Can I give you an answer when I know for sure?" Hermione replied.

"That's acceptable. Now can you sit up? Because as cute as you look lying on that counter, I kind of need my employee not looking like she's dead." George helped her sit up slowly, and then grinned at her.

"Thanks George," she smiled back without even thinking about it.

"No problem," he winked. "Now, is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Um…yea actually," she said.

"And what's that?" he asked.

"I can't tell you," Hermione chickened out.

"So…I can help you with something, but you can't tell me what?" he laughed.

"Yes. Just… tomorrow at the bonfire?" Hermione began.

"Yes?"

"If I don't tell you something before 12, come tell me I have to do it because if I don't you will never talk to me again and I don't want to lose the bet," she recited.

"Will do," he said as he looked at her strangely.

* * *

"Hey Luna," Harry said cheerfully but timidly at the same time.

"Hello Harry," Luna said smoothly as she swayed to the music that was playing in the room.

When Luna had gotten back from her world trip she had needed a job that let her do something her eccentric personality could agree upon. She had first started with helping Hermione and Harry fix up Grimmauld Place so that they could sell it, (it held too many painful memories) and then Harry had tried to keep her around with any other pointless jobs he could give her.

Harry had then decided it was time to start up the Quidditch bar he had decided he wanted to run after the war was over, and unknowingly created another way to keep Luna around. She now worked there and had taken over the Quibbler for her father.

"Did the new fire whisky come in from over seas?" Harry questioned.

"Yes. How's Hermione?" Luna replied conversationally.

"Um…fine," Harry replied awkwardly.

"Is that so? Well I had been very worried about her lately. Her horoscope was saying something uncomfortable was going to take place," she responded.

"Uncomfortable indeed," Harry muttered as he thought about the bet they had just initiated. "Luna?"

"Yes?" she responded dreamily.

"I-" Harry began, trying to spit the words out.

"Yes?" she prompted.

"I- was wondering if you would want to apparate to the bonfire together tomorrow, since it's after work and everything…" he winced at how badly he had messed up.

"Sounds lovely," Luna said as she grabbed her bag and gave a quick kiss to his cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow Harry."

"Yea," Harry spoke quietly to himself as he raised his hand slowly to his cheek, "see you tomorrow."

* * *

"So, did you accomplish the bet yet?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I- um- got close kind of," Harry replied as he pushed his food on the plate all of a sudden as he suddenly didn't feel as hungry. "And you?"

"Um- not really," Hermione twitched.

"Hermione," he started as he sat down the fork, "I'm sorry I said you're not brave because it's not true in the slightest."

"Same with you, I know you have balls," she laughed.

"But just because I said I'm sorry doesn't mean I'm backing out of the bet, I'm still going to win."

"I agree with you, well I'm going to win, but I'm not backing out of the bet."

"Oh I'm winning," Harry declared.

"In your dreams," she scoffed.

"In your nightmares!"

"Is that the best you can do?" Hermione snorted before walking away quickly and not looking back at Harry who was doing the same.

* * *

The noise hit Harry and Luna from all sides as they apparated into the backyard of the Weasley's. They noticed that they were clearly not the first one's here seeing as Charlie and Ron had a pile of empty beer bottles around them, even if they didn't appear physically drunk at all.

Lots of children were running around and the fire was blazing. Upon hearing the peppy music, Luna did a quick spin in her rainbow dress before starting to walk towards Ginny, followed closely by Harry.

* * *

Hermione tried to wipe away the wrinkles that didn't exist on her skirt another unnecessary time, but thought it better if she just finally left. Harry had left a good ten minutes ago, and she wanted a fair playing field.

She looked at herself one more time in the mirror and tried to lift her skirt up a little higher: she needed all the help she could get. Hermione threw the flu powder into the fireplace before quickly stating her destination. She tumbled through the fireplace and hit a hard body.

* * *

"You're married?" Harry questioned loudly as Luna hugged Ginny.

"Yes!" she squealed in reply.

"Congratulations!" he said before turning and giving Oliver Wood a good man hug.

"Well, with my Quidditch season starting up soon, I thought it would be a good idea to be able to do it before I'm gone traveling. They'll pay for her expenses if she's my wife," he smiled.

"Oh Oliver," Ginny said sarcastically, "I forgot how romantic you are."

"I'm quite the charmer and you know it," he whispered loudly before they kissed.

"Want to dance?" Harry asked to the bopping Luna.

Luna's face brightened considerably and she pulled Harry over to where the other dancing couples stood. They danced many songs one after the other, and Harry got close to telling Luna, but he never actually made it.

* * *

"Oof! I hate the bloody flu network," Hermione muttered.

"Right now I'm quite the opposite really. If it causes you to fall right into my arms I have nothing bad to say about it," George smirked.

"Thanks George," Hermione chuckled as she righted herself and looked up at him.

"It's not every day I get to play knight in shining armor."

"Goodness George! What did you do? Use a egg beater to style your hair today?" Hermione questioned upon seeing his hair.

"Nope, I just let nature take its course. I was going for the roughish look," he smirked.

"Yea, well it looks pretty crazy," Hermione said as she combed her hands through his hair. She was grateful that she had decided to wear some heels today because otherwise she wouldn't be able to reach his head.

"Mmhmm," he murmured to her before pulling her outside to get a drink.

* * *

"You look beautiful by the way Luna," Harry smiled as they went to get something to drink.

"Thank you Harry. You look dashing," Luna smiled and Harry smiled at her cuteness.

* * *

"So, what was it that you needed to tell me?" George asked curiously.

"I still have a few hours to be able to do it myself, don't push me," Hermione blushed back.

"Well, you'll know where to find me when you need me!" George said before walking away.

"Yea! Wherever there's trouble!" she yelled after him.

"I resent that!"

"You know it's true!" she belted.

He turned and smiled at her before he went to Fred who looked like he was setting up some fireworks.

* * *

When the clock was close to striking midnight, Hermione and Harry had both struck out numerous times. Neither of them had actually won or got as close as they would have liked. They were both now sitting by the lake a far way away from the party and sighing loudly.

"I can't believe that neither of us got close," Hermione sighed.

"I know, this sucks," Harry replied.

"You know…" Hermione stated.

"Yea?" Harry asked as he propped himself up on his elbow.

"It's not 12 yet, the bet isn't over," Hermione stated as she quickly jumped up and started running.

"Not fair!" Harry stated as he jumped up after her.

"All's fair in love and war!" she called over her shoulder as she ran.

"I agree!" he said as he pushed her from behind and then got ahead.

"JERK!" she yelled as she pulled herself up.

At this point, many of the people at the party had heard the belting and looked on in amusement.

Hermione took off her high heels as she continued running and threw one at Harry's head.

"Ouch!" he yelled as he stopped and looked down at the object, giving Hermione time to catch up so that she was only a few feet behind him.

"That was for making me burn the thanksgiving turkey, and this," Hermione yelled as she threw the other shoe at his head, "is for trying to set me up with Malfoy!"

At this point most of everyone at the party was laughing at the exchange and straining to hear what they said as they made their way over the hill.

Hermione had now caught up with him and Harry tried to push her down, but ended up taking himself down on the way. As Harry began to get up and start running Hermione grabbed his leg and they rolled down the hill together.

They both collected themselves quickly and began running again, now neck and neck with each other. Hermione tackled George and Harry pulled Luna up out of her chair at the same time and kissed.

Harry and Luna's kiss was sweet and loving where George and Hermione's was passionate and long awaited. Many catcalls erupted throughout the bonfire before both Harry and Hermione pulled back.

"I like you… a lot," they both said at the same time.

"Well, it's about time," Luna smiled and grabbed his hand before apparating him away.

"Was this what you were going to tell me?" George questioned.

"Not like this exactly, but yea."

"I knew the egg-beater hairdo would win you over," he smirked, causing her to chuckle.

"Not exactly, although your hair does look really cute, I've liked you a lot longer than that," she smiled.

"Happy Halloween to me," he said before pulling her into another kiss.

"Get off the ground!" Fred called from somewhere as George and Hermione realized that they were indeed still lying on the ground.

George took her hand as he dragged her inside.

Hermione mumbled against his lips, "Happy Halloween indeed."


End file.
